Engineering / Technology

Design for Manufacturing (DFM)

It is extremely important in the beginning to design a component to be as cost-efficient as possible. Recent studies suggest that as much as 80% of a component’s cost is locked in when the design stage is completed. Our goal is to be on the front lines of the design with our customers to ensure they are not overlooking the numerous advantages of the powdered metal forming process.

When it is determined that the application is right, our team will work side by side with our customer’s engineering team to design a component that perfectly balances manufacturability and cost.

Conversion Engineering

Our engineering team excels at recognizing opportunities to convert more expensive metal forming processed parts into value-added powdered metal components. Our team has successfully converted from the following processes: stamping, casting, CNC machining (screw machining and milling), and forging.

Engineers from CMT have had considerable success walking through existing, and potential, customers’ production lines identifying PM cost saving opportunities. Some conversions performed by our team have yielded over 40% reductions in component cost!

Reverse Engineering

Reverse engineering is necessary when customers want to transfer tooling to our facility. The tooling will yield the same molded part, but often times, the actual start-to-finish process is not obvious and may not conform to the part print. Reverse engineering a completed component will likely reveal hidden processing techniques.

Knowing this information will help us provide you with a seamless transition and quicker sample deliveries.

Conceptual Prototyping

Our recent equipment additions have given our engineering team the ability to 3D print plastic prototypes. Most commonly in the development phase, OEM engineers will reach out to CMT to better understand edge breaks, design limitations, and tooling lines. Our team will 3D print the prototypes and use them to show what the PM component will structurally look like.

This method has been a key factor in garnering business from customers who are not familiar with PM. It is also a useful technique for the consumer products market where the visual representation of a component is critical.

Value-Added and Value Engineering (VA/VE)

Our engineering team has been frequently involved with VA/VE programs. Customers are always looking at ways to reduce their current production costs or design new components to be cheap but effective. This is where CMT will get involved and will discuss with our customers what the key functions may be and offer cost-cutting solutions. Perhaps the original component was over-engineered. Perhaps a cheaper or alternative material will produce a lower cost or higher performance. Perhaps the component can be simplified for a low-cost PM process.

Our team excels at helping our customers on the design front. Becoming design partners with CMT will reduce our customers' production costs and when that happens, our customers succeed and we succeed.

Lunch and Learn

Do you want to know more about how the powdered metal (PM) forming process works?

Our company offers free on-site
"lunch and learn" training sessions. These sessions can provide a basic understanding of the PM process for supply chain and management personnel or they can be geared toward a more advanced dig into the key advantages of PM for engineering and product design personnel.

The goal of this program is to teach buyers and engineers to be able to identify opportunities for cost savings by utilizing the PM forming process.

Schedule your on-site customized Lunch and Learn Session!